Hi, I’m co-founding a cooperative and we’ve been struggling with how to structure finances. We are committed to equity and economic diversity. At this point, we’re not planning on being an income sharing community but we also don’t want to have what members contribute based on market rate, everyone pay the same amount, or pay based on how much space they occupy. We also have some members that plan to live in their own apartments and some that will live more more communally. Are there any examples of financial agreements where members contributing different amounts based on their means and circumstances? We’d love to connect with any communities that structure finances in a creative way that might work for us. Thanks!
I’m new here so I don’t have a ton of experience with all this, but I have an overly simplistic vision that I’d share.
If I grow corn and my neighbor makes shoes, we will both have corn and wear shoes. If another neighbor contributes nothing, they get no corn or shoes. When they need corn or shoes badly enough to start making candles, then all 3 of us will eat corn, wear shoes, and see in the dark. Once all of my neighbors are on the same page about this, division of “wealth” becomes an afterthought because nobody needs anything anymore, and any new needs that arise will be swiftly met by someone learning a new skill to contribute to that need.
Perhaps I’m too optimistic.
1 Like
I always felt like the best place to start was with quantifying expenses. How much does it actually take to keep your community running? Yet, somehow, I never could get a handle on this amount with how much our bills changed every year. We ended up just kind of guessing what we’d need, and contributing equally. This changed when one of our community lost their job, and we agreed they could start paying in again when they were on their feet. A cycle of job loss led to comparative underpayment by over $10,000. This in turn led to a lot of interpersonal conflict and resentment, delay on a lot of important projects, and an eventual ultimatum that they get back to to full payment by a certain date or leave. It was an a very stressful and uncomfortable place for “family” that no longer felt very familial. I guess the lesson here is that if you try to play things by ear, human psychology will lead you down some unfortunate paths. People do subconsciously perform at the level expected of them, and making too many allowances can lead to learned helplessness. We also all want to be generous and so many of us have a habit of bending until we break, rather than establishing clear limits.
I can’t say I’ve come up with a tested solution, but I’ve thought a lot about how this situation could possibly have been avoided. One thought I had is an income percentage type of system (like tithing) where people pay __% of their income in “rent.” This could be offset with the idea of labor hours, if you have certain members that don’t work outside the community but contribute a significant amount of labor. Those percentages may also vary based on utilization of amenities. Those living communally would be at a difference percentage than those living in their own apartments.
Equity is a lovely concept, but practically VERY complicated. Any system you come up with should be assessed regularly. Is it effectively financially supporting needs AND does it feel equitable to everyone involved? I’m far from an expert but I hope my experience helps a little.
Respectfully & kindfully; I’d recommend comming up with an appropriate/proper survey (as redundant; without unnecessarily encroaching) with more than enough room to deny answering & giving self accountances. As i feel your premise be a foundational start (opinioned), there are missing factors that are extremely important - noth excluding “affordable housing”. Many of us whom struggle with/on any number of disabilities & other [federal] compensations (that technically needn’t be counted towards an earned/earning incom for anything) still can’t afford the dwellings we’re renting - regardless however many utilities within such bills; noth excluding illegally moving into dwelling that needed be habitable without attempting to detrimize our health. Please forgive me for digressing? Transitional (in an appartment utilizing assistance (regardless perhaps if just of utilities) is still transitional) situations are supposed to be helping; paying a percentage doth noth help, just because we hath a savings noth mean we be disqualified (forcing/manipulating us to spend what savings we hath is illegal). If being homeless is still illegal in anys’ location, that is illegal of those whom think its ok. Digression…
Yi might want, if this noth, invite any number of your communities to help build this survey, if this be of interest. Invoking closest however few might be sagacious (possibly any number of us?) to ensure noth too encroaching. If yi[z] plan on accepting any number of assistances, please be careful with whom yi[z] work with; noth all vineyards be best riped (similar paraphrased quote from a good (likely inappropriate) movie, “yi need to be able to say, “the juice is/was worth the squeeze””.) Likely more to follow. Thank yiz in advance. God[s] bless/speed!!
1 Like
At the same time, just because any contributes only at home, single+, noth means they noth contribute. If the logger hath ires to talk about, & the “noncontributor” be the person they talk to, noth contribution shared? If said noncontributor is just as similar helping many within that community & still deemed noth contributing, doth they suffer & because of that/those deeming cause convention, treaty, & law violations as they’re inhumaimly & literally dying in front of all…?
Tinkers, nerds/geeks, gardeners, artists, & etc… Likely start thinking natural resources; how much wind be abound (Montana), how much moving waters be bound, how much ultraviolet light activity (including cloudy areas - extremely scattered ultraviolets still benefit solar processings; look at many plants within areas of greater/greatest cloud covers); compare with differ parts being affordable to individual and group (vehicle batteries are just as good dasied as any longer lasting). Wind & water systems can use the same power processing as solar & betwixt same turbines (perhaps practice with small [toy] electromagnetic motors). Hopefully this helps spark some imaginations brew; perhaps some artistical invites. --briefly looks about-- Reusable/repurposable will help with costs; just because its cheap (quality) for a certain factor needn’t mean it isn’t cheap for something else.
I think I understand your point here. I may be a bit idealistic but I don’t think anyone would be the “deemer” of contribution. I think that if you needed my corn you’d be willing to commit to fair exchange of any skills, products, or services you could. Everyone can contribute if they want to. Like I said though, I’m probably too idealistic on this subject.
I am completely poor, and disabled (autistic), and the “State” will not help me (I am in TX, under the supposed “care” of my only sibling. I’ve been begging for years for help getting away from her… but this capitalist hellscape has rotted everybodys’ minds, it seems)
Any community I wish to be part of would guarantee my housing and nourishment, as a right. In exchange, I would give 101% of my physical and mental abilties in “exchange” for those “rights”… like a “job”, and i would do this tirelessly, and passionately. I believe society should be structured based on communisti principles, but OFC these projects are forced to exist within the cirrent neoliberal paradigm… and i undersyand all that comes with that. But we CAN change the world, just need People to “get it”
Looking at Russia, Asia, & the false “Army” in Africa; i highly doubt (respectfully & kindfully) communism is going to change innthe ways we need. If to sagaciously look at communism, perhaps the betterments about, noth the manipulations & control - we’re being manipulated & controled as it is & this is supposed to be a peoples’ Nation. Unless yi[z] want your daughters with pins in their togs & being openly molested & raped (noth excluding howerver parts of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, & Pakistan) - please forgive for being a bit of a scalpel. Many of these (description) theerories wouldnt be allowed tonbe thought of in your own home[s] in a communist[ic] community of any expree/expression. Many of your issues might be because of incompatibility; noth excluding the possibilities of whom be around misaligned - our consumptions don’t really help when we consume/inhale formaldehyde (mixed into our foods to be heated (if noth formed into by the time bound), & the candles sold in major/thrift stores (noth advertising; PartyLite is natural & burns at lower temperatures, less likey to get burned from the flame). Formaldehyde is dangerous to ingest/digest, to inhale it even ambianically… 5G is capable of achieving 20+ GigaBytes per second yet downthrottled can’t achieve 1G speeds…?? Home internet can’t exceed exceed GigaBytes per second [without expensive equipment]…??? Perhaps more to follow.